Whirlwind week puts Watson at the front

Eight days after fleeing Australia's ill-fated tour of India and contemplating quitting Test cricket, Shane Watson will lob back on the subcontinent on Tuesday. By Friday, in an extraordinary twist, he could even be in charge of the team.

The recurrence of Michael Clarke's degenerative back troubles means the Australian captain, who has only three days to recover in time for the fourth and final Test in Delhi, may well be forced to hand the reins over to his deputy.

That would cap a remarkable week Watson will never forget. Since last Monday he has been booted out of the team, left India for Sydney, and then been welcomed back with open arms. And he has become a father.

"It's been a very interesting week really. The most amazing week of my life with the birth of my little boy," Watson said as he departed Sydney on Monday to re-join the Australian squad.

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Watson was aghast at being stood down, along with three other players, for failing to provide performance feedback to the head coach Mickey Arthur. But the suspension allowed him to return home to be by the side of his wife Lee when she delivered their first child, Will, last Thursday.

The joy of fatherhood appears to have tempered the 31-year-old's displeasure at being cast out.

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"There was a lot of different emotions running through my head at that time," Watson said. "It's nice things have panned out the way they have...I'm really excited to get back on the plane and back in the team." He said he had mended his relationship with high performance chief Pat Howard and spoken at length with team management in India.

Watson did not take kindly to Howard's comment that he acted in the best interests of the team "sometimes" or his inference that Watson and Clarke had "issues" they needed to sort out in their own relationship. Watson said at the time: "Pat Howard doesn't particularly know me very well".

Howard is also due to arrive in Delhi on Tuesday – he said he had always planned to be back in India during the fourth Test – but Watson said the pair had already thrashed out their differences.

"I have had a number of chats with Pat Howard over the last week and we are both now on the same page and are really looking forward to working together to get Australia to be the best team in the world," Watson said. "I'm looking forward to getting around the boys again and concentrating on moving forward. I'm entirely committed to the team and being the best player I can be."

In a Cricket Australia statement Howard added: "Shane and I have had a number of positive conversations. I am glad to say that Shane will return from compassionate leave and rejoin the squad in India as the team prepares for the fourth Test in Delhi."

While Watson's departure from India last week was chiefly to race home to be with his then pregnant wife he was also upset about being stood down, branding the decision "very harsh".

As he left Mohali he indicated he would weigh up his Test future. However, Clarke's deputy has also been on the phone with Arthur and the captain since leaving and re-inforced his commitment to the team.

"I've had several constructive discussions with team management back in Mohali over the past few days," Watson said.

"We've spoken about how we are going to work together to move forward, as Australia attempts to climb back to the top of the ICC rankings. I've a burning ambition to be an Australian Test player for as long as I can be and help Australia win those big Test series as well as the big ICC tournaments."

In the CA statement, Arthur added: "It's been a big week for us all – both on and off the pitch. The whole Australian cricket team congratulates Lee and Shane on the safe arrival of baby Will.

"Covering all the bases while preparing for any Test match is key to both us and Shane's recommitment to the team in his chats with me this week have been really positive. We're looking forward to having Watto back and around the group as we prepare for the fourth Test."